ELLIE Leek was heartbroken when she couldn't get into the school football team because it was full.

Being on the reserve list just wasn't good enough.

So mum Sharon did the only thing she could. She put her tracksuit and trainers on and started another school team, for Ellie, 10, and the girls at St Albans RC Primary School.

"I'm sure she would have got onto the team eventually, but she was so desperate to play I asked the school if I could help out by running extra training sessions."

There was just one snag - the 39-year-old mum-of- three from Pontypool had to start from scratch.

"I didn't know anything about it, but I got help from another parent for the first few months," she said.

The sessions proved popular, with 15 girls signing up, so Mrs Leek made it official by taking her first coaching badge.

For the last year she has run the team, arranging tournaments with other schools, with the help of Torfaen's football development officer Jeff Thomas.

She gained the McDonald's Football Leaders Award - a community-based Welsh Football Association qualification, in two six-hour sessions at Cwmbran Stadium.

Mrs Leek, from Twmpath Road, said: "I get so much out of it, and it's wonderful to see how far the team has come - it means a lot.

Striker Ellie said: "I'm chuffed to bits and enjoy every minute with mum."

Ellie is also a cross-country runner for the Welsh under-11 team, and recently competed for her country.